Organic substances in fluids may be removed from the fluids by combining oxidizing agents and ultraviolet light in a process called ultraviolet oxidation. Ultraviolet oxidation may be used, for example, to treat contaminated groundwater, wastewater, aqueous fluids from manufacturing processes, and the like, to break chemical bonds within the organic substances and/or to oxidize the organic substances. The ultraviolet oxidation process generally may result in destroying and/or oxidizing the organic substances with little or no generation of toxic by-products.
Generally, ultraviolet oxidation may involve the action of ultraviolet light on oxidizing agents to produce hydroxyl radicals. The hydroxyl radicals may degrade and oxidize organic substances. To produce enough hydroxyl radicals to degrade and/or oxidize the organic substances, a sufficient concentration of oxidizing agent capable of being irradiated may be necessary. In some instances, it may be that the concentration of oxidizing agents is too low for ultraviolet light irradiation to produce levels of hydroxyl radicals that affect substantial amounts of organic substances.